Howdy! So, what has everyone thought so far? It sucks, yes I know. But it gets better! I promise! Just stay with me! Please! The really good parts kick in at about the sixth or seventh chapter. And it's gonna get really dark, too. So, the rating may change from PG-13 to R. I haven't quite decided. You all will have to tell me what you think! I'm still open for constructive criticism! No evil flames! I beg of you! I'm only human!

Disclaimer: Breaks out into song I own nothing! I own nothing! It all belongs to Square!

Chapter Two

Squall Leonhart, a young man of 19, sat in Headmaster Cid Kramer's office. Squall was the acting Commander of Balamb Garden Military Academy. He had soft, brown hair, enchanting silvery-blue eyes, and a scar from his forehead to underneath his left eye. The result of a nasty training session with Seifer Almasy.

For some reason, Squall was having a hard time concentrating on what Cid was saying.

"Squall, are you listening?" Cid asked his Commander. "As I was saying, I'm sending you off on a 'mission.' You're to take the Ragnarok out to Esthar, pick up President Loire, and head off to Winhill. President Loire has business out there and would like you to assist him. You're to stay out there for a week and bring President Loire back here. You leave in the morning. Dismissed." Squall stood up, saluted, and walked to the door.

"Squall, one more thing." Cid called after him. "Try to cheer up, no one likes a miserable Commander." Cid smiled at him, Squall just rolled his eyes.

Squall walked down the hall to his office, oblivious to all around him. His mind kept wandering back to her. She had been haunting him everyday, all day since she left so abruptly. It still made no sense to him. No one had asked her to be a SeeD, had they? It didn't matter anymore, with her gone; he was just a living, breathing vegetable.

Squall sat down at his desk and tried to finish working on his report, only to find that he couldn't concentrate. He was breaking.

Xu popped her head in Squall's office door. Poor thing, She thought, looking at the heartbroken Commander. Xu decided that it was probably best to leave him alone and went to Cid's office.

"Sir, President Loire is on the phone for you." Xu said, walking into the Headmaster's office.

"Oh, good, thank you." The Headmaster replied quickly. "Xu, could you go to dorm 3C and get Quistis for me, please? Thanks." Cid picked up the phone. "Ah, President Loire…"

Xu left the office for dorm 3C. Why does he think Quistis is in 3C? It's been unused for years. Xu thought to herself. She knocked on the door, and without waiting for a reply, she walked in. "Quistis? Are you in here?" She called.

"Yes. Come in, Xu." Quistis replied.

Xu walked into full view. "Rinoa!" She ran over to her and hugged her. "You're back! When? How? Why?"

Rinoa smiled and told Xu her story. It wasn't as hard this time.

"Oh, Rinoa!" Xu exclaimed, then, suddenly remembering Squall, "Girl, do I have a bone to pick with you." She said sternly. But Quistis sensed danger and cut her off.

"Um, Xu? What did you need?" She asked, nervously.

"Cid needs you. Why?" Xu replied.

"Well, let's not keep him waiting. Come on." Quistis said, ushering Xu out of the room.

"Um…Okay. Bye, Rinoa!" Xu and Quistis left the room and headed towards the elevator.

Once safely on the elevator, Quistis fell hard on Xu.

"Xu, you need to be careful! You cannot tell her about Squall! That's the last thing we want to do. Oh, my! If she found out how he's been behaving, she'd flip!" Quistis and Xu stepped out of the elevator. Xu nodded and went off somewhere. Quistis knocked on Cid's door. "Headmaster?"

"Ah, Quistis! Please, come in and shut the door." Cid stood and got straight to the point. "Quistis, we need to do something about our Commander! This is getting out of hand! I've never seen anyone so depressed!" Cid exclaimed.

"Well, what do you suppose we do? Rinoa is too scared to go to him and you know she's the only one who can get to him! I doubt if he's even said one word since she left!" Quistis answered, testily.

"I know, I know." Cid shook his head. "I've been talking to Laguna. He said he'll try to get something out of him during the 'mission.' Honestly, I don't see what he can do."

"The only solution I see," Quistis cut in. "Is to have Rinoa talk to him. But she's too scared to death that he's angry with her, and you and I both know he misses her more than he's angry."

"Yes, yes." Cid agreed. "Well, I think I may have a plan…"

That night was a rough one, and it didn't help that there was a bad storm also.

Squall tossed and turned. He couldn't sleep. He was too worried about everything, plus the fear of never being able to see her again. If he were to die tomorrow, would she know he still loved her?

Insomnia was back to torture him.

Rinoa sat up. She just couldn't sleep. And the storm was spooky. She figured the main reason she couldn't sleep was because Squall didn't know she was there. Her conscience was nagging at her.

She had heard that Squall was upset, but it seemed worse than what everyone was letting on. And he was leaving on a mission in the morning.

A mission. that's what scared her the most. Cid had assured her that it was more of a vacation. No combat. Nothing dangerous. Perfectly safe. But anything could happen-right?

Quistis turned on her light. Her head was pounding. She also had a lot on her mind. She walked over to her medicine cabinet. Pulling out the bottle she wanted, she took two aspirin. Maybe this will help my head. She thought.

Squall. She smiled. Oh, no. She thought, laughing aloud. Those big sister feelings are coming back. Quistis climbed back into bed and turned off the light, smiling.

The night hours were long, but when morning came, Squall was ready to get the heck outta there. He wanted to get as far away from Garden as possible. Squall picked up his stuff and headed to the Front Gate.

The Garden was extremely quiet. He was probably the only one up. Squall walked up the ramp of the Ragnarok. Maybe I should have left Cid a note. He thought as he fired up the Ragnarok. No, he knows I'll leave early. He said to himself as he headed in the direction of Esthar.

But Squall didn't know that had he went to Cid's office to leave that note, he would have found the source and relief to all his problems.

A/N: Tah-Dah! It sucks so far, I know, but I'm working on that. I promise that the later chapters will be 15 billion times better, and all I'm asking is that you guys put up with these horrible first chapters. I do wanna add one thing, though. A certain someone will show up later on and big twists will happen! I'm good at those. I think… So, all I ask is that you all R&R. And please stick with me as we get past this crap. Remember, all suggestions would be helpful. Thanx and Later Days!